It's rather amusing to see Mourning Doves try to crowd together in a
very small bird bath. I usually only see them pecking around on the
ground or on the patio. They drink from the bath but not together.
These two were absolutely determined to share the bath and water
together. No pecking, no hey, get out of my bird bath. Nope. They
were focused totally on sharing that bird bath. They kept coming back
and getting in. They were splashing a lot of water in that bath just to
be together. Mating rituals.

https://i.postimg.cc/2ymDPFxF/Doves-1.jpg

I'm so sorry I don't have a larger bird bath.

Jill

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jmcquown wrote:

It's rather amusing to see Mourning Doves try to crowd together in a
very small bird bath. I usually only see them pecking around on the
ground or on the patio. They drink from the bath but not together.
These two were absolutely determined to share the bath and water
together. No pecking, no hey, get out of my bird bath. Nope. They
were focused totally on sharing that bird bath. They kept coming back
and getting in. They were splashing a lot of water in that bath just to
be together. Mating rituals.

https://i.postimg.cc/2ymDPFxF/Doves-1.jpg

I'm so sorry I don't have a larger bird bath.

we've not unwrapped our birdbaths yet with there still
being chances of frost for a while.

the mourning doves don't usually use the smaller one
that is easier to see, but at times they will use the
larger one.

we keep all of them rinsed out and refilled to keep
the birdies happy.

we don't feed the birds because we want them to
forage for bugs in the gardens. keeping plenty of
water sources around the birds don't go after the
tomatoes (but they still will go after my strawberries).
that is ok, i don't mind sharing some with them.


songbird

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On 4/9/2020 7:08 AM, songbird wrote:

jmcquown wrote:

It's rather amusing to see Mourning Doves try to crowd together in a
very small bird bath. I usually only see them pecking around on the
ground or on the patio. They drink from the bath but not together.
These two were absolutely determined to share the bath and water
together. No pecking, no hey, get out of my bird bath. Nope. They
were focused totally on sharing that bird bath. They kept coming back
and getting in. They were splashing a lot of water in that bath just to
be together. Mating rituals.

https://i.postimg.cc/2ymDPFxF/Doves-1.jpg

I'm so sorry I don't have a larger bird bath.

we've not unwrapped our birdbaths yet with there still
being chances of frost for a while.

I don't know what you mean by unwrapped. You keep them covered? Hell,
it rarely freezes where I live but on the rare occasions it does I tip
out the ice and refill the bath. Birds *always* need fresh water.

Where I live there is rarely frost. It did snow a few years ago which
was a surprising treat! And the birdbath froze. I tipped out the ice
and refilled the bath with fresh water and it was suddenly filled with
birds.

the mourning doves don't usually use the smaller one
that is easier to see, but at times they will use the
larger one.

we keep all of them rinsed out and refilled to keep
the birdies happy.

Of course!

we don't feed the birds because we want them to
forage for bugs in the gardens. keeping plenty of
water sources around the birds don't go after the
tomatoes (but they still will go after my strawberries).
that is ok, i don't mind sharing some with them.

songbird

I generally only feed the birds in the winter. In the Spring and Summer
plant seeds and bugs are plentiful. But yes, they always need fresh water.

That's the only birdbath I have. It was amusing to see the two doves
trying to fit into it at the same time. It's mating season. Clearly a courtship going on. ;)

Jill

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On Thu, 9 Apr 2020 07:08:49 -0400, songbird <songbird@anthive.com>
wrote:

jmcquown wrote:

It's rather amusing to see Mourning Doves try to crowd together in a
very small bird bath. I usually only see them pecking around on the
ground or on the patio. They drink from the bath but not together.
These two were absolutely determined to share the bath and water
together. No pecking, no hey, get out of my bird bath. Nope. They
were focused totally on sharing that bird bath. They kept coming back
and getting in. They were splashing a lot of water in that bath just to
be together. Mating rituals.

https://i.postimg.cc/2ymDPFxF/Doves-1.jpg

I'm so sorry I don't have a larger bird bath.

we've not unwrapped our birdbaths yet with there still
being chances of frost for a while.

Invest in a heated birdbath. We have two, one on the north side and
one on the south side of the house. They are thermostatically
controlled and draw very little electricity even when on.
Well worth the expenditure as the birds put them to good use all
through the cold months.
Now that we're into April, it will soon be time to put them in storage
and replace them with the regular non-heated units.
Here's the heated unit on the 23rd of March. https://www.hostpic.org/images/2004102141310115.jpg

Ross.
Southern Ontario, Canada

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Ross@home.now wrote:
...

Invest in a heated birdbath. We have two, one on the north side and
one on the south side of the house. They are thermostatically
controlled and draw very little electricity even when on.
Well worth the expenditure as the birds put them to good use all
through the cold months.
Now that we're into April, it will soon be time to put them in storage
and replace them with the regular non-heated units.
Here's the heated unit on the 23rd of March. https://www.hostpic.org/images/2004102141310115.jpg

no thank you! when the season is done the season is
done. bird baths get put up for the winter. i have
no desire to go outside in the winter to clean up
something.

there is no lack of water in our area for birds in
the winter.


songbird

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On 4/11/2020 11:47 AM, songbird wrote:

Ross@home.now wrote:
...

Invest in a heated birdbath. We have two, one on the north side and
one on the south side of the house. They are thermostatically
controlled and draw very little electricity even when on.
Well worth the expenditure as the birds put them to good use all
through the cold months.
Now that we're into April, it will soon be time to put them in storage
and replace them with the regular non-heated units.
Here's the heated unit on the 23rd of March.
https://www.hostpic.org/images/2004102141310115.jpg

no thank you! when the season is done the season is
done. bird baths get put up for the winter. i have
no desire to go outside in the winter to clean up
something.

there is no lack of water in our area for birds in
the winter.

songbird

Okay, good thing you're in an area where there is no lack of water. Of
course if it freezes they can't necessarily peck through ice to get to
water in creeks or streams. You're making a huge assumption they'll be
able to find fresh water in frozen conditions.

I'm going to tell you something. A few years ago it snowed in Southern
South Carolina. It's a freak thing, only happens every 25 years or so.
The snow didn't last but the cold temperatures did for about a week.
The water in the bird bath (mine is made of cast iron) was a round chunk
of ice. I poured a cup of hot water over it and in a minute tipped out
the chunk of ice and tossed it aside. Rinsed the bird bath with the
rest of the hot water. Then I filled it with fresh water cold water.
Took me all of 5 minutes.

Guess what happened? I no sooner got back inside than a bluebird flew
down. Then another, then another. A few minutes later there was a
flock of bluebirds trying to get to the fresh, not frozen water. All
kinds of other birds followed suit.

You really shouldn't assume birds can always find fresh sources of water
in Winter.

Jill

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On Sat, 11 Apr 2020 15:35:26 -0400
songbird <songbird@anthive.com> wrote:

jmcquown wrote:
...

You really shouldn't assume birds can always find fresh sources of water
in Winter.

i'm assuming that in this area any birds around in the
winter know how to cope with it. this is the north.

songbird

We're known here as "The Winter, Water, Wonderland" ;-)

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI

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jmcquown wrote:
...

You really shouldn't assume birds can always find fresh sources of water
in Winter.

i'm assuming that in this area any birds around in the
winter know how to cope with it. this is the north.


songbird

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